A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 396

New Recruit of Baseball Team Is Too Good – Episode 396

New Recruit of Baseball Team Is Too Good 396

88 The Season of Harvest (4)

Exactly three days later.

In St. Petersburg, Florida, the home of the Tampa Bay Rays, a festive atmosphere was in full swing.

Along the streets, the Tampa Bay Rays’ team flags were hoisted on the lampposts. Banners celebrating Tampa Bay’s championship were draped over major buildings in the city.

The road from downtown to Tropicana Field was closed early, and Tampa Bay Rays fans gathered around it from early in the morning.

That’s right. This was the day.

The very day that Tampa Bay fans had dreamed of.

The World Series victory celebration parade day.

-The sunshine is amazing today!

-Feel the Heat, Rays!

-We are in Tampa Bay right now!

-Feel the Heat, Rays!

-Just as no one can live without sunshine!

-Feel the Heat, Rays!

-We can’t live without you either!

-Feel the Heat, Rays!!!

The Tampa Bay Rays achieved their first-ever championship.

Naturally, this was also the first time a championship parade was held in St. Petersburg.

As if to commemorate this historic moment, the Tampa Bay Rays’ fight song echoed from TVs and radios early in the morning.

“……I’m sorry, Father.”

Jisub, who had visited the hotel where his family was staying, scratched the back of his head with an apologetic expression.

“I was really planning to spend the day with Mom and Dad today. I even made reservations at a decent Korean restaurant in the city.”

Jisub clicked his tongue.

“But a meeting was suddenly scheduled last night…… I’m sorry, I’ll really make time tomorrow…….”

“It’s okay. You don’t have to worry about us so much.”

His father’s reaction was calm.

“I heard from Jima. That you’re in charge of it, Jisub? The matter of your team visiting the White House.”

“Yes? Ah, well, that’s about right.”

Brian Sphan, the president of baseball operations, had assigned someone, and the team’s board of directors had also sent personnel.

Therefore, the expression ‘in charge’ felt a bit excessive, but Jisub didn’t argue with his father at this time.

It was true that he was incredibly busy with work, and there was one question that flashed through his mind.

‘……Jima?’

Yes, that was it.

‘Who the heck is Jima?’

Jisub was about to ask about the name he was hearing for the first time, but his parents continued to speak without giving him a chance.

“Meeting the President…… Huh? Meeting the U.S. President, there must be so many things you need to take care of. So focus on the team’s work for now. A wise person knows how to prioritize.”

“Yes, your father is right, in my opinion.”

His mother also nodded.

“These days, apps are so well-developed that there’s no need to worry about getting around the city. Jichang can speak a word or two of English too. You’re preparing to go to the White House, of all places…….”

Jisub was in a good mood.

Even without looking into their eyes, he could feel that his parents were very proud.

Once upon a time, he was a son they were worried about, wondering what he was going to do. A son who kept hitting walls in everything he did, making him look pitiful.

But now, he was being recognized for his skills even in Major League Baseball, and even taking charge of meeting the U.S. President.

Just that fact alone seemed to make his parents feel it was worth flying all the way here. Jisub felt as if all his hardships were melting away.

“And if anything happens, you can contact Jima.”

The moment this word came out of his mother’s mouth, Jisub couldn’t help but tilt his head and ask.

“Mom, I’ve been wondering since a while ago…… Who is Jima anyway?”

Jisub scratched his cheek with his finger.

“Who is it that both Dad and Mom keep saying Jima, Jima, Jima…… finding Jima at the end of every sentence?”

“Hehe, who else could it be?”

It was Jisub’s older brother, Kim Jichang, who answered instead of his parents.

“Your boss. The son of the Tampa Bay owner.”

“Lama? John Lama Taylor?”

“Yeah.”

“Why is he Jima?”

His brother’s answer to Jisub’s question was as follows.

“Because our brothers share the ‘Ji’ character [referring to a shared character in their names]. Kim Jichang, Kim Jisub, and…….”

His brother raised his finger.

“Kim Jima.”

“……Huh?!”

It seemed that John Lama was being treated like the third son of the Kim family without Jisub even knowing.

* * *

According to his brother, the nickname ‘Kim Jima’ was created the night before.

John Lama had been taking good care of Jisub’s family since they came to the United States. When Jisub’s parents, touched by this, said they wanted to treat him to a meal, he waved his hand and said this.

-It’s okay. Kim is like a real brother to me.

Then he added.

-Please think of me as your own son too. Ah, it would be even better if my brother thought of me as a younger brother.

His parents couldn’t help but give him the nickname ‘Kim Jima’ at the sight of him smiling brightly.

Up to this point, it wasn’t too strange considering John Lama’s usual sociability.

However, a bitter smile appeared on Jisub’s face a few hours later when he met David Wilson in the Future Strategy Planning Department office.

“Ah, are you ‘Jima’?”

David Wilson, upon hearing Jisub’s words, brought up an unexpected story.

“It’s similar to my family’s situation.”

“Similar?”

“Yes, my parents are also here in St. Petersburg right now…… Since yesterday, they’ve been calling John Lama by a strange name.”

Lama Wilson.

David shrugged his shoulders.

“My father decided to call him that. He said John Lama is now a member of our Wilson family.”

“Haha, Lama’s popularity is soaring? He’s being treated like the third son in our house, and a member of the family in David’s house?”

Jisub chuckled, but David sighed deeply.

“Of course, I’m grateful. It’s really appreciated that John Lama is taking the time out of his busy schedule to take care of my parents, even though he has work to do. But…….”

“But?”

“When you look at John Lama, that guy…… Doesn’t he seem very natural? At squeezing people dry.”

David grumbled.

“Yesterday, my father said that I have to work hard, do my best, and that it’s rare to meet someone who recognizes me like that…… No, I am working hard! I barely got any rest even after winning the championship?!”

A bitter smile appeared on Jisub’s face at exactly this moment.

His parents had said similar things to David’s parents.

“Originally, shouldn’t they be saying things like take it easy, think about your health, and so on? But that John Lama, what did he do to win over our parents…….”

Even while saying that, David Wilson couldn’t take his eyes off the documents he was holding in his hand.

Watching him, Jisub was thinking to himself.

‘Yeah, he might really be born with it.’

He was talking about John Lama.

‘He’s rumored to be a pushover in the industry, but…… Could it be that he has the qualities of a leader?’

Of course, he didn’t seem to have the talent to attract all types of people to his side.

But it was definitely a leadership that worked for some people. People like David Wilson, who must repay the favors they receive.

‘What if I find three or four more people like David Wilson and put them next to John Lama?’

It might be a surprisingly good combination. The Future Strategy Planning Department might be able to achieve better results than it is now.

‘Hmm, someone who can be attached to John Lama? Was there anyone like that?’

Just as he was recalling the people he had met so far, one by one.

The man who came to be called Kim Jima in the Kim family and Lama Wilson in the Wilson family burst into the office.

“Kim! David! It looks like you should come out now!”

John Lama had no idea what Jisub and David were talking about.

He was just gesturing to his colleagues in the Future Strategy Planning Department with a bright expression.

“The people from the White House are about to arrive!”

It seemed that a mission that needed to be resolved was approaching before he could find someone to attach to John Lama.

* * *

“Welcome, Mr. Kirkwood.”

“It’s good to see you again, Mr. Sphan.”

The person who visited Tropicana Field that day was said to be the Secretary of Culture and Sports from the White House.

The official purpose of the visit was to watch the championship parade. But in reality, it was for preliminary coordination regarding the Tampa Bay Rays’ visit to the White House.

“Well, let’s go this way.”

“Thank you for your hospitality.”

Of course, the White House Secretary did not directly engage in the preliminary coordination work.

He left with Brian Sphan, the president of baseball operations, to watch the parade, and the staff he brought with him actually appeared at the negotiation table.

Jisub was also included in the Tampa Bay Rays’ working group and was able to participate in the negotiations that day.

“Good. Then we will proceed with that part in the same way as last year…….”

The negotiations proceeded in a generally good atmosphere.

The size of the delegation visiting the White House, the guests they especially wanted to invite, the scope of media coverage, and so on.

The negotiations proceeded quickly in accordance with precedent. But there was one part that was a sticking point.

“It’s about the draft that the President will announce.”

The moment the White House side mentioned this issue, the Tampa Bay side fell silent.

If there was going to be criticism, it would come from here. It was a part they had expected to some extent.

“We have reviewed the draft sent by the team…… But there is a slightly concerning part.”

“Ah, is that so?”

R. J. Higgins, the vice president who was the representative of the Tampa Bay side that day, said.

“Could you tell us specifically which part you mean……?”

“Of course, it’s not difficult. It’s the last paragraph. The sentence that starts with ‘We hope that more Florida residents in the future’.”

“Ah, you mean this.”

To be exact, it was this sentence.

[We hope that more Florida residents will be able to enjoy the wonderful baseball of the Tampa Bay Rays in the future.]

At first glance, it was a sentence that seemed to have nothing wrong with it.

But as Jessica Ross once said, the people at the White House didn’t seem to want to create even the slightest controversy.

“This sentence…… We wouldn’t have any problems if we revised it on our side, would we?”

The White House staff said.

“It would be better to change it to just wishing for the endless development of the Tampa Bay Rays…….”

“May I ask why?”

To Higgins’ question, the White House person said with a stiff expression.

“Hoping that more Florida residents will be able to enjoy Tampa Bay’s baseball…… Isn’t this ultimately related to Tampa Bay’s new stadium construction project? Isn’t it an attempt to put subtle pressure on the St. Petersburg city government?”

And then one more word.

“We don’t want to take sides with either the city government or the Tampa Bay Rays.”